BOOK REVIEW: Books for Living: A Reader’s Guide to Life

by Will Schwable

“Reading is one of the few things you can do alone that can make you feel less alone.”

Will Schwalbe thinks “fifty-plus is a good age for big questions,” and believes with a passion that many of the answers can be found in books. He was 54 when writing this literary self-help manual cum reading memoir, and the myriad answers he proffers to the eternal refrain: “Why is it that we read?” are engaging, humorous and frequently moving.

His idiosyncratic selection of literary works can sometimes seem bizarre, but make sense if you permit him to guide you to the relevant text. He is both bibliophile and deep thinker, having read intensely and widely throughout his life, enabling him to make perceptive observations on all manner of topics ranging from problem solving and embracing mediocrity to finding friends and overcoming boredom.

He reminisces about his school days; teachers who significantly influenced him; Miss Locke – the empathetic librarian; important friendships; momentous decisions; and growing up gay in a period far less accepting than our own. But his most affecting and powerful writing flows when exploring loss: in particular, the devastating loss of innumerable young lives (including many of Schwable’s closest friends) to AIDS.

Books for Living should ideally be read at a crunch point in life, when it is necessary to examine all options before making a decision. Perhaps by reading some of Schwable’s suggested titles in addition to those discovered by yourself, a shrewd conclusion will be reached.

“The more we read, the better at reading we become. At the end of each page I’m a better reader than I was at the start.”

Many thanks to Two Roads for providing an advance review copy of this title.

Reading is more than just a metaphor for living, I’m convinced, and your review sort of suggests it. Not being a professional reviewer I get to choose what author or genre I’m in the mood for: the book chosen is thus not only often a consolation but I’ve found sometimes even a parallel commentary on thoughts and reactions I have in relation to the real world. I agree, books are a guide to life, and the more the merrier.

Thanks, Chris. Well, I’m definitely no expert, but there are times when I’m startled by a sentence because, for instance, it describes so well the way I’m feeling or perhaps a previous reaction I’ve had to an experience. I also believe books are capable of bringing humans closer, in a positive way, if we will only allow them.

I appreciate your concise review, Paula. It sounds like there are a lot of great elements in Schwable’s memoir. I haven’t heard of this before, but I’m definitely intrigued. Do you feel like this book is more memoir or self-help? Regardless, did you find the self-help aspects insightful?

Thanks Jackie. It’s certainly not your usual self-help manual – I would have lost interest fairly rapidly if it had been at all preachy. It is definitely more memoir, be it one focusing on the books in a person’s life and what they meant to him at a particular time. Yes, it was insightful. It also gave me an idea for a forthcoming feature on this blog!

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